Electric contact device



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1, J. J. HOPPES. ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE.

Patented Sept. 23, 1890' WITNESSES (No Model.) s Sheets sheet 2.

' Jl J! ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE.

No. 436,874. Patented Septu23, 1890.

[NI E (No Model.) J J HOPPBS a Sheets-Sheet 3.

ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE.

No; 436,874. Patented Sept. 23, 1890..

WITNESSES Q. X

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN- .I. HOPPES, OF SPRINGFIELD, OI-IIO.

ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,874, datedSeptember 23, 1890.

Application filed January 30, 1890. Serial No. 338,605. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. I-IOPPES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric ContactDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric contact devices whichare particularly adapted for use with overhead conductors instreet-railroads.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide means for automaticallyreleasing an electric trolley and permit it to clear the conductor andits supports in the event that the same becomes accidentally displacedwith reference to the said conductor in connection with which itoperates. I

To this end my invention consists in a jointed or flexible trolley-arm,a portion of which is adapted to assume an unusual position, which shallcause the supporting mechanism to be released and permit said trolley todrop free of the conductorin the event that the trolley-wheel becomesremoved from the track.

My invention further consists in the various constructions andcombinations of parts hereinafter described, and set forth in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a street-carto which my improved contact devices are shown attached, the trolleybeing shown in full lines in contact with the conductor and in areleasedposition in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the contactdevices removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional view somewhat enlarged, showin gthe details of the supporting and releasing mechanism. Fig. 4: is a topview of the same, and Fig. 5 a sectional view of aportion of the same.Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views showinga modification in theconstruction of my improved trolley.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference in the severalviews.

In the said drawings, A A represent the conductor, B the trolley-arm,and O the standard or column on which said arm is supported and by whichit is connected to the car.

B is the trolley-wheel, which is preferably used to form thecontactbetween the trolleyarrn B and the conductor A A.

The column C is preferably made hollow, and is provided at the top witha supportingyoke D, the lower portion of which is prepared to fit in asocket at the upper end of the column (J, in which it is adapted toturn. To the supporting-yoke D is pivoted the trolley-arm B, which ispreferably bifurcated at its rear end, as shown in Fig. 4, the arms orprongs a and a thereof being pivoted to the respective arms or prongs band b of the yoke D.

Located within the column 0 and extending upwardly through the center ofthe supporting-yoke D is-a reciprocating rod or plunger E, provided atits lower end with projecting pins 0 c, which preferably extendthroughsaid rod E and project each way through slotted openings cin the sidesof the column 0 and engage on each side of a collar 0, adapted to slideon the outside of the column 0. The collar 0' is preferably provided oneach side with trunnions 0 on which are journaled the respective ends ofa yoke 0 to which is secured one end of a spring F, theother end beingconnected to the extended prongs a and a. of the trolley-arm B.

The plunger or push rod E is adapted to be held in its normal position,as shown in Fig. 3, by means of a pivoted latch d, pivoted in thebifurcated portion of the trolley-arm B and extending over the top ofsaid push-rod. It will be understood that the collar 0 is free to turnon the column 0 between the projections c. freely in said column, whichpermits the trolley-arm B to turn to any position about the axis of thecolumn 0.

The latch d rests on the top of the push-rod E and at the center ofrevolution. The contact-point between the latch and shaft is also inline with the pivotal connection between the trolley-arm and thesupporting-yoke D.

The trolley-arm B, I preferably form in two parts a and e, the outerportion e being adapted to carry the trolley-wheel B and being pivotedto the main portion 6.

Extending from the pivoted portion 6 to the latch d is a connecting-rodd. On this connecting-rod d is a spring d one end of which rests againsta lug or projection d on The supporting-yokeD also turns ICO thetrolley-arm and at the other against a projecting ear d?" on thespring-latch. A short spring d is also interposed on the connecting rodd between the latch cl and a head or shoulder 61' on the inner end ofsaid connecting-rod. The spring d has a greater tension than the spring(1 and when the pivoted portion 6 of the trolley-arm B is in theposition shown in Fig. 2 the spring d is slightly com- [0 pressed, whilethe latch d is in its normal position over the push-rod E.

It will be understood that the main spring F holds the trolley-wheel Byieldin gl y against the conductor A. The tension of the spring F issuflicient to cause the pivoted portion e of thet-rolley-arm to turnabout its pivoted center, and thus compress the spring (1 in the mannerjust described. A stop 6 is provided to limit the movement of thepivoted portion c of the trolley-arm.

In the event that the trolley-wheel B 1 should become displaced from theconductor A A, the pressure against the pivoted portion (2' of the armwould be removed. The spring (Z would thus be permitted to act againstthe latch d and withdraw the same from engagement with the push-rod orplunger E. The

push-rod E being released, the collar 0' would be permitted to rise onthe standard 0, thus 0 releasing the spring F, which would in turnpermit the arm B to drop down to the position indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 1, thus completely clearing the conductor and its supports. Thetrolley-wheel would thus be pre- 3 5 vented from becoming entangled withthe conductor-supports and any danger to the conductors would beobviated.

For returning the trolley to its normal position I place about thecolumn 0 a loose o collar 0 above the supportingcollar C. To

the collar 0 I pivot a brace-connection G which is pivot-ed at'itsopposite end to a lug or projection f on the trolley-arm B. As the arm13 turns on its pivoted center when released by the push-rod E, thecollars O and O are both moved on the column 0 and approach each other.Then the collars meet,

the motion of the arm is retarded, the spring F being adapted to receiveany shock or jar 5o thereon.

Attached to the outer pivoted portion 6' of the trolley-arm is a rope orcord H. By drawing down on the cord H the collar 0 is forced against thecollar 0 and carries said collar downwardly along the column 0 untilsaid collar assumes its normal position, the spring Fbeing compressed asthe collar is forced downwardly. The push-rodEis carried with the collarO and when it assumes its normal position the spring 01 having beencompressed by the pressure against the pivoted portion e of thetrolley-arm, forces the retaining-latch (1 into position over thepushrod E. The spring F is now compressed, and

by paying out the cord H slowly the arm B may be permitted to rise untilthe trolleywheel again rests against the conductor. The

pressure of the spring F against the cord H as the arm B rises serves tohold the pivoted portion 6 of the arm in the normal position to retainthe latch in place. When the trolley-wheel is in place, the cord H isadapted to hang loosely therefrom, and the device is again ready foroperation. The cord H furnishes means for operating the trolley-arm, asdesired, without releasing the spring F, since a pressure on the corddepresses the hinged port-ion 6'.

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show a modification in the construction of thedifferent parts. In the plan as heretofore described the connectingrod dand its springs are placed above the arm. In the modified form the rod01' is placed below the arm. The pivoted or hinged portion 6 of the armis provided with a projecting lug 6 adapted to bear against the spring(P, which is supported on a sleeve g, through which the connecting-rod01' passes, the sleeve g being preferably cast rigid to the arm B by alug or projection g. The sleeve g is preferably screw-threaded andprovided with an adjusting-nut g and a locking-nut 9 by which thetension of the spring may be adjusted, as desired. The spring d isplaced between the spring-latch d and the projecting lug (1 In this casethe spring-latch is adapted to be pulled away from the push-rod E by theaction of the spring (1 against the projecting lug e It is obvious thatvarious modifications of this device may be employed without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, and I do not intend to limit myself tothe constructions herein shown and described; but

I claim, broadly, as my invention 1. Atrolley-arm in two or more partsadapted to move in relation to each other, a catch mechanism adapted tohold said trolley-arm in operative position, and means for operatingsaid catch mechanism by the relative movement of saidparts,substantially as specified.

2. A trolley-arm provided with a broken or flexible portion having anindependent movement with reference to the solid or main portion, acatch mechanism adapted to hold said arm in operative position, andmeans for operating said catch mechanism by an independent movement ofsaid flexible portion, substantially as specified.

3. An electric trolley-arm having a flexible or yielding portion, aspring for holding the trolley yieldingly against an electric conductorand thus moving the flexible portion of said arm to an unusual position,a latch adapted to release said spring, and means for connecting saidlatch to the flexible portion of said arm, substantially as specified.

4:. An electric contactdevice having a flexible or yielding arm, and aspring adapted to hold said arm yieldingly against an electric conductorand thus force said flexible portion of said arm to an unusual position,means for automatically returning said flexible portion to its normalposition, and a latch connected to said yielding portion adapted torelease said spring, substantially as specified.

5. An electric contact device having a flexible portion adapted to beheld in an unusual position when the trolley isin operation, said- 6. Anelectric contact device havinga flexible or yielding arm pivotallysupported on a column or standard, a spring connected to said standardfor holding said arm against an electrical conductor and thus forcingthe flexible portion of said arm to an unusual position, means forreleasing said spring when said flexible portion assumes its normalposition to permit the arm to turn to a limited extent upon its pivotalsupport, and means for resetting said spring and said flexible portionbya further movement of said arm about its pivotal center, substantiallyas specified.

7. The combination, with aflexible trolleyarm and itssupporting-standard, of a main operating-spring adapted to hold said armin an operative position, a latch connected to said flexible portionadapted to release said spring, and a brace-rod connected to said armadapted to act against said spring and to carry the same to its normalposition when said arm is depressed to an unusual degree,

said latch when the flexible portion is turned to its normal position topermit said arm to drop to a limited extent from said conductor, andmeans for returning said spring and latch to their normal positions whensaid arm is further depressed, substantially as specified.

0. The combination, with a hinged trolleyarm having a flexible portionadapted to assume an unusual position when said arm is in an operativeposition, of a latch adapted to hold said arm in its operative position,and means for disengaging said latch whenthe flexible portion of saidarm assumes its normal position, said latch being placed at the pivotalcenter of said arm, substantially as specified.

10. The combination, with a trolley-arm pivotally connected to arevolving support, said trolley-arm being provided with a flexibleportion adapted to assume an unusual position when in an operativeposition, of a latch attached to said flexible portion and adapted tohold said arm in an operative position, said latch being placed in aline with the axis of revolution of said trolley-arm, substantially asspecified.

11. The combinatiomwith a trolley-arm having a flexible or yieldingportion, of a latch adapted to hold said arm yieldingly in position, aconnection from the yielding portion of said arm to said latch, andmeans for moving said flexible portion and thus releasing said latchwhen the pressure on said arm is removed, substantially as specified.

12. An electric contact device adapted to be held by upward pressure incontact with an overhead conductor,a trolley or trolley-wheel to travelalong said conductor, a catch mechanism to hold said contact device inoperative position, and means for releasing said catch mechanism whenthe trolley is raised to an unusual position, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1890.

JOHN J. HOPPES.

Witnesses:

JOSHUA Scorr, Cams. 1. WELcH.

